


Changing

by Evelyn6



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, Hope, Post-episode: S6E9, Rumbelle - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-04
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-09-06 09:46:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8745457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evelyn6/pseuds/Evelyn6
Summary: Things could have been so different... if she had just asked. (Or, Belle asks Rumple if he sped up her pregnancy, he tells her the truth, and everything turns out differently)





	

**Author's Note:**

> What I wish had happened...

Belle gazed thoughtfully into the cup of chamomile cradled between her hands, the steam brushing against her nose as she breathed it in. It was the first bit of warmth she'd felt in her hands since her talk with Rumple had left her shaken and unsure - not because she'd worried he would hurt her, per se, but because being so near him again and hearing such pain and honesty in his voice had made her heart flutter, flames of love that never could be extinguished burning as bright as ever as he turned away without his prize.

He had chosen her. Chosen her over magic, over the path that might have guaranteed him his son, but would have cost him her forever. He still loved her. She knew that, theoretically, but it was another thing entirely to see him give up what he believed (however wrongly) was the only chance he had left at love. For her. She knew what it must have taken for him to walk away, just how important it was that he not lose his son after everything he had been through himself and then gone through with Bae.

She was proud of him.

Seeing him take that tiny - and yet gigantic - step in the right direction had taken a weight off her chest she hardly knew was there, letting her breathe for what felt like the first time in weeks. In its place was a tiny spark of hope; tentative and small, but somehow stronger than ever.

She leaned forward and blew across the surface of her teacup, a tiny smile playing at the corner of her mouth. She was only half aware of Emma and Hook speaking beside her, thanking Granny for the tea and assuring her that she had their help, no matter what happened. She nodded absentmindedly and lifted the cup to her lips as they stepped away.

She frowned a bit as the taste of the brew hit her tongue. She knew chamomile well, so the bitter, almost spicy aftertaste on her tongue caught her off guard, but she had already swallowed a large mouthful before it occurred to her not to. She knew instantly that something was wrong; she felt lightheaded all of a sudden and her stomach cramped. She swirled on her chair, the teacup tipping precariously on its saucer until her hands gave out altogether and the crash of china rang throughout the small diner.

"Belle? What is it? Are you okay?" Emma asked worriedly, but she was too busy clutching her stomach to really hear her words.

It didn't take long to put two and two together, and she slipped from the stool as pain began radiating in her abdomen.

"T-The tea," she explained on a gasp. It turned into a cry as her body flooded with heat and then she watched with horror as her stomach began expanding, stretching as her insides rearranged themselves to make room for her rapidly growing son.

"No. No no no no no," she whimpered, hands wrapped protectively around her suddenly full-term stomach. "This c-can't be happening."

Her heart felt like it had ceased to beat in her chest, anguish and shock and fear all swirling through her and not leaving a single breath of space for anything else.

He wouldn't have.

That was all she could think. He wouldn't betray her. Her mind conjured her husband's image before her eyes, his gaze so broken and full of longing, but of understanding, too, as he dropped his hand and turned away. They had pleaded with her, his eyes; had been so reminiscent of what they had been before everything had gone wrong. They'd held love, still. A love she reflected in her own heart and wanted so desperately to share with him again. She just couldn't believe that he would suddenly change his mind. That he would do _this._  


Another flash of pain went through her and she doubled over, feeling Emma rush to her side to help her stay on her feet.

"This can't be happening. This isn't right. I..." she mumbled breathlessly, her eyes darting around the diner as she felt panic start to bubble in her chest.

She'd read just enough of _What to Expect When You're Expecting_ to recognize a contraction, but the fact that it was all happening so quickly left her feeling frazzled and so very, very overwhelmed. She had barely been able to revel in the feel of her son growing inside her and already he was ready to leave her. How was this _happening_?

"Belle, we need to get you to the convent," Emma was saying, trying to keep her on her feet. "He must have put the dust in your tea somehow. He must have decided-"

Belle shook her head fiercely. Then she opened her mouth and without giving it another thought screamed, "Rumplestiltskin!"

He appeared before her a mere half a second later, his magic barely cleared around him before he was saying her name.

"Belle? Belle, what's-  _Belle!_ " he exclaimed, making to rush to her side. She looked on with tear filled eyes as Killian shoved him back, stepping between them as Emma wrapped a protective arm around her. She wanted to tell them to leave her be, but she didn't have the energy.

Instead, she directed all of her attention to his eyes as they watched her, melted brown and filled with the same shock she felt. Her mind tried to caution her. They had been here before, in a way. A line in the sand, a precipice by which she had to decide whether to trust in assumptions or in him. And as she looked into his eyes, saw them flash with worry, she decided to listen to her gut.

"Let him go," she said firmly, meeting Killian's eyes.

"Belle, are you sure about that?" Emma cautioned, her grip tightening slightly.

"He still loves me," she reasoned, her eyes watching her husband. "He won't hurt me."

Of those two things she was absolutely certain, if nothing else. She knew the others would think her foolish. Barely an hour ago, he had held the dust that could cause this very mess in his hand and threatened to use it. If he had done this, he would have crossed over that line in the sand irrevocably. But her heart was still telling her he hadn't, telling her to wait and to ask before she assumed the worst. She had ignored that voice too many times before, and it always ended in catastrophe. And this time there was even more at stake; not just her future, not just theirs, but their child's.

But she couldn't just jump to conclusions. She couldn't run anymore, or refuse to listen to him. He deserved more than that. He'd been honest with her earlier. He had been vulnerable. And in the end, he had done right by her. She needed to do the same for him.

Killian took a step back, though he didn't leave completely. Rumple barely seemed to notice the other man's presence, his eyes fixed solely on her.

"Did you do it?" she asked, her voice cracking as she met his gaze.

She didn't mean for it to, for her desperation to show so plainly in the way her throat tightened. But she needed him. More than she had ever admitted, she needed her husband. She needed him to be the man she always thought he could be. Not a perfect man; not a hero or even one free of the darkness, just the kind, good man who tried his best to do the right thing and who put his family before all else. She'd seen that man today - and she didn't want to lose him.

His voice struggled over her name as he took a step towards her, colliding with Killian's arm as the other man held him back.

"Belle... I swear to you, it wasn't me," he choked out, the fingers of one hand pressed to his chest. "You told me the price... Y-You know I could never pay it. Not that."

She held her breath as she looked back at him, her eyes scanning his face. There was not a single trace of falsehood in his features; nothing but raw honesty in his voice. She could practically feel the skepticism of the woman beside her, but from him all she felt was supplication. For all his faults, her husband wasn't a liar. He was a master at withholding information and at manipulating when he saw a need for it, but he had never outright lied to her. Today, he had all but bared his soul; his fears. And he had given every indication of honoring her wishes and giving up on his plan.

That hadn't changed, she realized with certainty. He hadn't done this.

She didn't know who _did_ , but if she could think properly (suddenly being ready for birth when she had only been pregnant for a few weeks took a toll on one's mental capacity), she would probably be able to think of a half dozen other people who might want to accelerate her pregnancy - and even more who would seek to drive yet another wedge between her and Rumple. Well, they weren't going to succeed. Not today.

She nodded, a soft, "Okay," passing her lips.

Rumple's shoulders slumped, and there was no missing his heavy sigh of relief. She knew instantly she had made the right decision; but Gods, how close they had come to disaster. If he hadn't been open with her... If she had doubted his sincerity or jumped to the wrong conclusion. The consequences would have been heartbreaking.

Instead, they could face this together.

She opened her mouth, about to tell him what had happened and warn him that it was time, when suddenly a wave of pain came over her, and she clenched her hand around her stomach as she cried out, her knees nearly buckling beneath her.

"Belle!" Rumple called out, and she heard the distant sounds of a scuffle as Killian tried to keep him from reaching her.

A moment later, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her, holding her against a warm chest that she fit into like the space had been made for her. She buried her face in the expensive fabric, the smell of home suddenly washing over her and doing more to ease the pain than her gritted teeth and ragged breathing had managed to do.

Her husband was cooing words of comfort in her ear, his hand cradling the back of her head in that way that made her feel precious. Gods, but she had nearly forgotten the beauty of being in his arms like this, of feeling safe and cared for. She couldn't help herself; she clung to it desperately, finally feeling her heart resume a normal rhythm as the pain passed.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice positively wrecked beneath the mask of reassurance he was trying to put on for her.

She gave a tiny nod and he loosened his grip as she pulled away. Not completely; just enough that she could meet his eyes. He kept his hands beneath her elbows, helping her steady on her feet.

"The baby is coming," she said.

"O-Okay," he stuttered. "I can magic you to the hospital."

She gave a small shake of her head. "Not the hospital. The convent. The fairies have a room set up for me. There are charms in place to keep us safe..."

She could tell he wasn't happy about the idea. She knew his troubled history with the fairies, and knew her going to them for help wouldn't be easy for him to accept. She could see the way his jaw twitched just at her mentioning the convent. But they had offered her safety and protection, and that was invaluable to her at a time when things felt everything but. There was an Evil Queen on the loose, and for all that Belle had sought out Zelena's help, she wasn't naive enough to trust the woman for a single moment. There was also the not-so-small matter of whomever had decided to speed up her pregnancy. If going to the fairies helped - in any way - to keep their son safe, then that's where she would go.

Rumple seemed to agree, at least enough that he didn't argue with her. He was looking at her oddly, though. As if he wanted to ask her something but didn't quite dare. He opened his mouth a few times only to close it again, and then Emma broke the moment by speaking beside her.

"It's not far. We can get you there, Belle," she offered.

Killian seconded the offer with a low, "Aye," still leveling a critical eye at Rumplestiltskin that made her want to roll her own at him. If she could find it in herself to trust Rumplestiltskin, why couldn't they?

Still, a car ride sounded far pleasanter than being transported there by magic. She never had been able to stand teleportation without feeling nauseous, and she already felt plenty of that at the moment. So she nodded, not noticing immediately the way her husband's face fell. She did notice when he released her. He kept his hand at her elbow, but there was space between them now, and he wouldn't quite meet her eyes.

Emma pulled her car keys from her pocket and looked at her expectantly, but Belle just frowned and turned back to Rumple.

"I-I guess I'll just... Should I... leave?" he asked, his eyes on her stomach as his voice wavered.

It took her a moment to grasp the implications of his words, but when she did, she felt her heart break in her chest. He thought she wouldn't want him to be there. He thought he wouldn't be welcome for the birth of their child.

She couldn't say what she would have done if he had been responsible for accelerating her pregnancy; but she couldn't think about that now. He hadn't. And no matter what they were going through, no matter how rocky things had gotten between them, she wouldn't deny him the right to see his son be born. Truth be told, she wanted him there. Not just for the baby, but for herself, as well. He always had been her rock, her protector, her greatest source of comfort. They may have lost their way, but she loved him in a way that was unchangeable; it was as present and as necessary as the air that filled her lungs or the way her heart beat. Their family may be broken, but it was still _theirs_.

"Rumple," she whispered, reaching for his hand when he flinched but didn't look up. She tucked her fingers between his and squeezed gently, trying to say without words that she was still here. That she wasn't going to turn him away.

He hesitated before her, and she could feel his fingers trembling against hers. When he dared to flick a glance at her eyes, it was with such uncertainty written in his own that she felt the urge to wrap her arms around him. She swallowed and tried to smile instead.

"Will you... meet us there?" she asked softly.

His head shot up so fast she nearly cringed, thinking he must have hurt himself. But the look that came over his face wasn't one of pain. It was of astonishment, and an eagerness that drew a happiness of her own from her heart as his eyes filled with tears.

"Yes. Yes, of course," he said, his voice gruff.

She was about to smile again when another wave of pain hit her and she doubled over again, reaching for him instinctively. He was there in an instant, wrapping around her and surrounding her in warmth, his hand rubbing her back as she breathed through the pain.

"Okay, it's time to go," Emma announced as soon as Belle had her feet under her again. Rumple handed her over a little reluctantly, his eyes trailing after her like a lost puppy as he followed her out of the diner.

It was an awkward affair getting her in the front seat of the Bug, and she knew that her husband would have summoned his larger Cadillac for her had she asked, but she didn't and so he stood by with his lips pressed into a nervous line as she settled in the seat.

The ride to the convent was shorter than she remembered, thank goodness, and Killian had called Blue ahead of their arrival to explain what had happened. The Mother Superior wasn't too pleased at his telling her that Rumplestiltskin would be alongside his wife, but Belle had glared at him the moment he started to ask if she was sure and he had cleared his throat and told the head fairy to simply be prepared to lift the wards before he hung up.

She breathed a sigh of relief as they pulled up to the driveway of the mansion and the first thing she saw was Rumple pacing anxiously along the drive. He perked up as they approached, rushing to the passenger door before the car had even stopped. He was so gentle as he helped her to her feet, so attentive as he tucked her into his side and helped her up the steps.

Blue was the first to greet her, her iolite eyes narrowed as the Dark One entered, but her concern for her very pregnant charge seemed to override her distrust as she ushered them into a makeshift delivery room. Rumple didn't let go of her hand once.

"I-Is it very un-brave of me to admit that I'm afraid?" she asked once she had settled atop a bed propped up with pillows, fairies bustling about the room as they prepared for the little one's arrival.

Her husband made a little noise of distress and leaned forward to brush his lips against her forehead. "You're going to do wonderfully, sweetheart. I promise."

She tugged him closer, uncaring of the unspoken words between them and needing only his support as she tried to stay calm. Surprisingly, it was he who began helping her through the breathing exercises she remembered reading about but didn't have the wherewithal to put into practice. But with his encouragement, she found herself relaxing, her bravery finding her again as she prepared to bring their son into the world.

He was there beside her through it all. Through the contractions and the periods of rest between. He rubbed her back when she became uncomfortable and let her nearly break his fingers as she rode out the pain. He was there when it was time to push, brushing her hair away from her face as he told her over and over again that he loved her and that she was the bravest and strongest person he knew. He was there when their son's first cry rang through the small room and as they laid their eyes on his tiny body as he officially entered the world.

"We... We have a son, Belle," he whispered as they wrapped their baby boy in a small embroidered blanket.

She was clutching his hand to her heart as she watched, as her entire world slid into place and she realized, at long last, what was truly important when she was handed her son for the first time. She had never felt a love so encompassing as she did in that moment, so deep that it seared her soul and bound her irrevocably to the tiny bundle in her arms. He was perfect. His tiny little nose, and his perfect little cheeks, the way his small fingers reached and reached until they grasped her nose and she felt tears spill over her eyes.

She understood, now. She understood the man beside her, and just what lengths a parent would go to to protect their child. She understood how one's capacity for love blossomed to unimaginable lengths when their eyes locked on yours for the very first time and you would give absolutely anything in the world to make sure they knew nothing but love and safety and happiness from that moment forward.

More than anything, she understood how little everything else mattered. The past and all the arguments, the words and accusations that seemed to pale in comparison to what was _now._  And that was her, Rumple and...

"Gideon," she whispered.

She looked up and met Rumple's tear-filled eyes, a question burning in her own and her breath baited. But he smiled that lopsided smile she loved so dearly and kissed her forehead before he leaned down and kissed his son's.

"Strong and brave," he said proudly, cradling them both close.

Belle smiled against his neck, her heart buoyant and full of love for both of the men in her arms.

They would figure out the rest later. For now, this was all that mattered. Their family, together at last.


End file.
